Don't Let the Sky Fall
by Cypher67
Summary: Chloe doesn't know what she feels for who anymore... Brian? Alek? Why do things have to get so complicated?   / T for later chapters  yes, I still suck at summaries
1. Chapter 1

**AN: okay, just to be clear, I don't like Brian all that much. Trust me, it'll become clear later on..**

**And I don't own 'The nine lives of Chloe King'. If I did, I'd know what would happen, and Brian would be shipped to Timboektoe or somewhere far, far away.**

**I hope you like the story, please R&R, as I feed on reviews. Free hugs for the readers, and cookies on top if you review!**

**Don't Let the Sky Fall**

**Chapter 1**

It was dark outside, and the soft light of the moon was obscured by the floating clouds that came and went. A gentle breeze scurried them away, making room for the stars to shine. People all over the country were asleep, and all you could hear was a single owl, screeching, searching for food.

Only one girl, a young woman, was sitting on top of a roof. She held her arms around her knees protectively, pretending to be a rock no one could ever break.  
>Deep down, she knew that wasn't true. Chloe was no rock, and she was most definitely not unbreakable.<br>A sigh escaped her mouth, and her gaze lifted towards the dark sky. How had things become so complicated so damn fast? Only a few months ago she had been a normal teenage girl that was living a normal teenage life. And now? Not anymore, not even close.  
>Now she was Mai, some king of cat-like creatures, descendants of the Egyptian goddess Bastet. More even, she was supposed to be the Uniter of the Mai. She hadn't told her mom, who still believed she was the normal daughter she raised.<br>On top of that, her supposed-to-be-dead-dad was still alive. For over ten years she hadn't heard of him, and now, on her birthday, she finds out he's still alive. Another thing her mom knew nothing about.

As if all of these shenanigans weren't hard enough to live through, there was the Brian-case. Brian was this nice, kind, wonderful person. Human person, to be exact, and because of some stupid curse, Chloe couldn't be with him without killing him, literally.  
>Although her head knew this, her heart kept refusing to stay away. Brian always managed to cheer her up, even though he didn't know her secrets. He was there for her when he needed her, and even though she only wanted to be friends (stupid bloody curse) while she <em>knew<em> he wanted more, he didn't push her. Why did he have to be this nice? It would be loads easier to stay away if he behaved like a jerk instead of Mister Personality!

"A penny for your thoughts." Someone said. The voice had startled her, but Chloe tried her best not to show it.

"If I was an assassin, you might have been dead. Again."

"Well then I'm lucky you aren't one. Wait, I don't know if that's _lucky_…"

"Auwch, that hurt." He said, mocking her.

"Good." She smiled.

"I'm still waiting on the story about your thoughts…"

"Trust me, you don't even want to know it." She said, chuckling lightly. The man who came to sit next to her on the ledge smiled.

"Oh come on, Chloe," he said in that British accent of his, "I want to know _everything_."

"I'm sure you do, but I'm not telling you." She wouldn't give in to him. Not this time. Alex was supposed to be her protector, but he was so much more to her. He was someone she could confide in about her being the Uniter. He was someone who could manage to get a smile on her face even if she felt like crying. He was a real friend to her.

Alek turned his head to look at her, and his dark brown eyes gazes intently at her face, trying to pierce the protective bubble she had set up around herself.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly. His voice had lost its previous humorous tone and was all seriousness right now.

Chloe tilted her head back to look at the stars once more, as if the answer to the question was somewhere between those little dots of light.

"No, I'm not. But I will be." Eventually she turned her gaze back to Alek, smiling apologetically.

"I know you will. You always bounce back, Chloe King." The young man lightly bumped her shoulder.  
>That was another thing she liked about Alek. He wouldn't push her into talking if she didn't want to, and yet he wouldn't leave her side when he knew she wasn't okay.<p>

They sat in silence for a while, shoulders barely touching. Chloe nor Alek knew for how long exactly, but neither of them really cared. It was only when the girl had to stifle a yawn that Alek ushered her back inside her room.

"Thank you, Alek." She whispered, before closing her window. Alek managed to nod his head towards her, showing he got the message. Showing he knew she saw him as a close friend. A friend… never before in his life had this little word meant and hurt so much as now. And yet, a friend was what she needed him to be, so that was exactly what he was going to be for her, for as long as she needed.  
>And after she had gone to sleep, he made himself comfortable on the roof, focusing on her heartbeat, and her steady breathing, making sure she was safe.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**hi everybody! thank you for royally adding this story to your favourites and story alerts! THANK YOU SO FREAKING MUCH!  
>but it's reviews that I feed on. I'm like a review vampire.<strong>

**Anyway, keep reading, start reviewing, then I'll start handing out the cookies!  
>Disclaimer: I still don't own TNLoCK, if I did I don't know if I'd even share Alek...<strong>

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><p><strong> Don't let the Sky Fall<strong>

**CHAPTER 2**

The following day he saw her at school, but she wasn't the same. There was no spark in her eyes as she laughed with Paul and Amy. Her blonde curls didn't bounce up and down when she walked, and her smile… the beautiful smile that normally colored her face was empty, colorless. She tried to hide her feelings, her distress to her friends, but Alek could see it clearly.

He tried to shake off his own internal turmoil but soon he noticed that was easier said than done. If the Uniter could manage to keep her head in the game during training, which she surely couldn't at this point, she wouldn't learn to defend herself and her remaining eight lives from the Order. And let that just be something she desperately needed to learn. If she couldn't defend herself the chance existed she'd get herself killed. And that was bad, really really bad, because in that case the Mai would lose their savior, and Alek would lose his Chloe… Wait, scratch that last thought. She wasn't _his_ Chloe.

Around eight o'clock, when the sun had set, it was time for their training. Chloe was supposed to learn defensive weapons training, but as Alek had already suspected, she couldn't stay focused.

"You really need to concentrate, Chloe. If I had been an assassin, you would've probably lost half or your lives already. And we're only ten minutes in training." Alek reprimanded her. Chloe got up again.

"I know. I'm sorry. Let's go again." He had to hand it to Chloe, but her determination was admirable.

"No, I have a better idea. Put away the sticks. We're going for a run." He remembered how she loved to run over the rooftops. He loved it too. Running up high where no one sees you gives you a certain feeling of freedom. It gives you the chance to clear your mind from all the worries clouding it. And that might just be what Chloe needed.

Soon they were running, practically flying over the houses of the city. Chloe ran ahead, with Alek swiftly in pursuit. If she'd ask, he'd tell her he _let _her run faster.

On top of a warehouse near the harbor, the young woman slowed her pace and finally stopped. Her breathing was faster than normal, but she still wasn't out of breath. When Alek arrived seconds later she dropped to the ground and started laughing.

"Did you run into a wall or something?" Alek asked, his voice smiling.

"You're an idiot. But this was just what I needed. How did you know?"  
>the blond man sat down next to his Uniter and looked at her, a smile on his face.<p>

"Running clears your mind. Granted, it doesn't solve your problems, but it sure gives you one hell of a distraction. And you're getting faster every time."

"I feel like everything is coming to me so fast, and I don't have time to dodge it, or to even prepare for impact. Everything is full on at the moment, and if I only think of solving one problem, another one is already there, ready to hit me right in the face."

"I know it's much that's coming to you right now. And I know that we can be kind of full on. But let me tell you something; don't let it overwhelm you. If you feel like it's too much to handle, say stop. Tell us to bugger off. Tell us to give you the time and space to breathe. For us, Jasmin, Valentina, me, it's a second nature. We were brought up fighting and defending ourselves. You're new to this, you're learning."

"Whoa… you're sort of contradicting yourself here, mister," She said, "what happened to 'The Uniter has to learn as much as she can, as fast as possible.' Because I can remember you saying those exact words."

"Yeah, well… if you can't keep your mind with the fight, you might end up hurting yourself, or one of us. And that's no help either." Alek said.

And he most definitely had a point. Chloe hadn't even looked at it like that, but she realized that she could hurt one of her own if she wasn't fully focused. Or even herself."

"Well if you look at it like that…" she said in her usual light way.

"Thank you again, Alek. Djeez, I feel like the only thing I'm doing lately is thanking you." She smirked at him.

"Don't worry, I'm used to people thanking me. I'm just that wonderful."

"Jep, you're still you… for a second there I thought you'd changed, but there you are again."

"Would you want me to change?" something else was visible in his eyes right now. It wasn't just the playful look he'd usually get when he and Chloe were taunting each other. There was something new, something she hadn't seen before…

"No. Just stay the way you are." She smiled at her protector.

"You too. Don't change." He replied, that same mysterious look in his dark brown eyes.

The adrenaline rush Chloe had gotten when she ran and jumped over the rooftops had vanished, and the wind gave her goose bumps. Wearing a sweater wouldn't have been such a bad idea after all…

"Here." Alek said, putting his jacket around her shoulders and sitting down next to her again, arms bumping just as they had the night before. Chloe rested her head on Alek's shoulder while Alek's ended up on top of hers.

"I know it's a lot, but don't give up. You can do this."

"How can you be so sure of it?" she asked, clearly doubting herself. She only wondered how it was possible that Alek was so sure of it. How could he keep believing in her, even when she herself didn't?

"I _know_ you can do this. It might take some time, but you will reach your goal. Just believe in yourself."

"So now you're psychic."

I always have been, didn't you know? That's just one of the many, many talents I possess." he joked back at her. Chloe's tension eased up a bit. Talking to Alek could go either way; or he could calm her down, reassuring her, or he could make her feel like she'd want to toss him off a bridge. Tonight it was option A.

The sudden ringing of a phone startled both Mai and they bolted up right, arms nor legs nor heads resting against one another anymore. Chloe reached into her pocket to get her phone, and found a message Brian left her… Chloe's heart made a little jump. Only a little one…

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><p><strong>AN: it might take a few days for the next chapter gets posted, since I start working again on Monday. But... reviewing makes the world turn faster (and yes, I'm bribing/ manipulating you all. Is it working? **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I just want to say thank you to the few people who reviewed my previous chapter. There weren't many, but thank you for doing that!  
>Thank you as well to those who put my story in their favoritesalerts! You rock (now read, and push REVIEW)**

**A/N 2: I don't really like this chapter myself... it's the longest chap so far, but I don't like it. Try to survive this...  
>And last, I'm still trying to make Brian true to show!Brian, but he always ends up a jerk... I can't help it... it's the plot bunnies doing it to me. And him <strong>

**Disclaimer: I still don't own TNLOCK. I wish I did, but I don't.**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 3<strong>

The next day, Chloe was sipping from her coffee during her break from work and reading a gossip magazine when Brian walked in. With a big smile on his face, he sat down next to her, reading over her shoulder.

"What have you been up to lately? I haven't seen you as much as I would have wanted to." He said softly, his breath tickling her ear.

"Just… stuff…" she tried to avert the conversation. What she had been up to was something she couldn't share with him.

"Was it interesting stuff?" he asked now, not willing to let go of the subject.

"Not really, you'd get bored to death if I told you." For some reason, Chloe started to think he was becoming a bit pushy. She had made it clear to the guy that she only wanted friends, and at first he'd gone along with that decision. But here he was, invading her personal space. Chloe got up, walking back into the store area with the excuse her break was over.  
>The doorbell chimed, but neither of them paid any attention. When Chloe listened carefully, she could make out a familiar heartbeat, but Brian being so close to her didn't give her the chance to focus closer.<p>

Alek sat down at a table away from the door, still able to hear what Chloe and Brian were discussing. That is, until Amy entered and placed herself right in front of him.

"What?" he asked rudely, hoping he'd annoy her. Mission failed.

"You should start working on your bedside manners, mister. It's not because you have a pretty face that you can treat people like crap." She said even without blinking.

"Geez, thanks for the tip. Now, what do you want? I'm kind of in the middle of something." He tried to see past the human girl in front of him, but she didn't let him, moving every time his eyes moved to a different direction.

"Dude! Can you focus for like, one minute. I'm right here!" she snapped her fingers and waved her hand.

"Amy, I'd love to listen to the latest gossip, but I'm working."

"Yeah… I can see that… but it's not working." Amy looked at her painted fingernails, finally gaining his attention.

"What isn't working?"

"What you're trying to do." She replied smugly. Alek could probably threaten it out of her, but Chloe might kill him if he did.

"Oh enlighten me, you bright one." The British Mai still couldn't hide his arrogance.

"You're trying to push her away from Brian. And it's not working. At all. I know you think he's no good for her, and it might be dangerous and stuff, but that still no reason to keep her away from him like that. There must be…" She rambled, but suddenly it was as if a switch got turned inside her head and she finally connected the dots spraying around in the life of her best friend and her protector.

"You like her!" she cried out.

"AMY! Keep your bloody voice down!" he hissed to her, not even trying to deny the statement.

"So you do, you really do like her. Like, like like her. Oh man, things are getting clear right now." At this moment in time, the young woman was talking more to herself than to anyone else, including Alek.

"Who says I do?" Alek asked, his composure as steady as ever. Chloe was still in the store, putting clothes on shelves, tailed by Brian. The male Mai couldn't help but look at her.

"Your face." The boy was actually turning half a shade more red when she pointed at him.

"Don't worry," Amy stated, "it's only natural to have feelings like this. You only have to tell her."

"Hell no! She can't know this! Amy, you have to promise me you won't tell her anything. Please don't make me regret telling you."

The young man's eyes betrayed just how serious he was about this. Amy looked at him for a second longer, not saying anything, just looking. By the way he looked at her best friend, she realized he did really care about her. The look in his eyes displayed she wasn't a fling to him, but so much more. But Amy didn't like the fact that she couldn't talk to said best friend.

"I refrained from threatening you earlier, but I can still change my mind."

"Calm down, boy, don't get your knickers in a twist. I'll stay silent." She shushed him reluctantly.

"Thank you." Normally Amy would think it'd pain him to say those words, but this time he sounded genuine.

The girl got up from her seat and made way to the door when she suddenly changed her mind and strode back to Alek.

"Just for the record," she began, sighing heavily, "I like you better."  
>Alek didn't know how to react. Should he say something? A nod, maybe? Or a wink? Nah, that'd be too arrogant.<p>

"Thanks… I guess…" he said, smiling. It seemed for the best, and Amy seemed satisfied with the answer as she walked out of the coffee shop. Alek stayed seated, now able again to listen in on the conversation between Chloe and the human. And to be honest, he didn't like the way that talk was going… Slowly he got up and moved towards the store. Being part cat – or something like that – made it able for him to move swiftly and soundlessly.  
>When he reached the door separating the coffee shop from the clothing shop, he could just listen in on something he wasn't glad to hear.<p>

"Alright then. Do you have plans tonight? Want to go see a movie?" Brian asked, seeming himself again. Chloe nodded. She didn't have training, and tomorrow was as day off, so her mother would not object. And as long as she and Brian were friends, they could hang out together. She'd actually enjoy that, since she still liked the guy. A smiled appeared on her face when she thought of spending time with him.

The steady heartbeat she had noticed earlier had just increased. It went faster and faster, and when she felt Brian give her a soft kiss on her cheek, she noticed Alek standing in the doorway, swiftly turning around as soon as she'd noticed him.  
>As if struck by lightning, she moved away from Brian.<p>

"So, I'll see you tonight. Gotta go. Bye!" she said, not even reprimanding him for his actions, something she later felt bad about.  
>When the blonde girl got to the coffee corner, there was no sign of Alek anywhere.<p>

"Dammit." She sighed. Why did her life have to be so damn complicated?

About a mile away from the store, Alek found himself sitting on a bench looking out over the harbor. Why did he let her get to him like that? It wasn't like she was the only Mai girl on the planet, so why did it matter so much what she did? And who she did it with? Alek couldn't wrap his head around it. Of course, Chloe wasn't _most girls_, but to get to him like she did, that wasn't something he was familiar with.

The entire afternoon there was no sign of Alek nor Jasmine, nor Amy. Chloe had an easy time working, and yet her head was full of thoughts with nowhere to go. The girl got off at six, Brian picked her up at seven.  
>As expected, her mother didn't give her any grief for going out with him. She knew that Meredith was secretly rooting for the pair, and with that thought, she sighed again.<p>

Chloe got outside after having the rules laid out to her again by her mom, but when she closed the door behind her, she saw Brian standing at his car, giving her the once-over. The young Mai was wearing her dark jeans with black converse and a red halter top with a leather jacket over it.

"You look amazing." Brian said as he opened the door to her.

"You don't look that bad yourself." She complimented him. They drove in silence, despite Brian's attempts to make some small talk.

They got into the theatre with popcorn and soft drinks. As the gentleman Brian was, he let Chloe pick the movie, preparing himself for some random chick flick. Instead, the girl went for an action movie, one she'd been dying to see.

"Well well, there's more to Chloe King than just the pretty girl." He winked at her.

"If you'd only knew…" she whispered soft enough for his ears not to hear. What Chloe didn't realize, was that Alek and Jasmine were there too.

"Now why did I have to come again? You're perfectly capable of protecting her on your own." Jasmine hissed as they took their seats on the last row of the theatre.

"Because, Jaz, I don't want to be the only one that has to listen to him being all slimey. And now I have someone with me to use as an excuse." His trademark smirk was all over his face, but Jasmine could tell something was off. Never had he behaved like he did towards Brian.

The movie started and everyone in the room went silent.

_Is this supposed to be a date? Because that would make things a lot more complicated than they already are._ Chloe thought to herself.  
>Halfway through the flick, Brian made his move. First he bumped his hand against Chloe's, probably an accident, so she didn't read too much into it. It didn't take him long before he reached for her hand with the full intention of grabbing it. Her Mai senses had already picked up on his accelerated heartbeat, so she pulled her hand to herself as soon as she knew what he was up to.<p>

Hadn't she made things clear between them? Hadn't she explicitly told him they could only be friends? Yes, she wanted to be with him too, but they couldn't, it would kill him. If he couldn't accept her decision, they couldn't keep hanging out.

"Is something wrong?" he asked her several minutes later. Chloe put on her most genuine smile and shook her head.

"No, everything is perfect." She said softly, not even sure if she meant it.  
>Alek notices something was up, and he elbowed his cousin, who had fallen asleep on his shoulder.<p>

"Jasmine, if you drool on my jacket, you'll regret it for the rest of your life." He warned her.

"Sorry, I'm just so tired. I haven't slept in days." Alek looked at the girl next to him.

"Fine, you go home, I'll stay on watch tonight. But tomorrow it's your turn again." He stated.  
>With a smile on her tiresome face, Jasmine got up. On her way out, she patted her cousin's hair.<p>

"Tomorrow it's my turn. Promised." She winked at him before leaving the theatre. That left him alone, watching over his Uniter. Wait… THE Unitor. Not his, definitely not his.

A few rows down, Chloe was having difficulties with keeping concentrated on the movie. Brian might or might not have been the cause of that.  
>She did have feelings for him, but the last few days, things had changed even more. Only friends, nothing more, nothing less… that's what she needed right now. And if that meant she'd have to tell him <em>again<em>, then she'd tell him again.  
>About fifteen minutes before the movie would end, the guy sitting next to her managed to grab her hand, fingers entwined and everything. Brian threw her a sideways grin, not even realizing this wasn't what Chloe wanted. Her head was searching for a way out of this.<br>_Reach for my phone? No, other pocket. Grab popcorn… dammit, it's gone. An itch? Nah, that's too obvious. This might not even be all that bad. No, Chloe. NO! You can't do this, it isn't fair towards him._

Only one solution: wait till the movie is over. And that is exactly what the young Mai does.

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><p><strong>reviews? suggestions? Anything?<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**First of all: thank you all for reading this story! All of you who put this in favorites/alerts, and those of you who reply (virtual cookies for you guys!) encourage me to continue writing.**  
><strong>Well, that and the show of course. That being said…<strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own TNLOCK or any of its characters. If I did, Brian wouldn't be there/ wouldn't be annoying.**

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><p>CHAPTER 4<p>

"So… did you enjoy your evening?" Brian asked her when they were walking back to his car. Chloe nodded, smiling, considering if she'd say something..

"We should do this more often." He said now. Chloe looked at him and saw a lot of different emotions trying to gain dominance. There were his feelings for her, feelings she had known about for some time, and the same feelings he had promised wouldn't stand in the way of their continued friendship. But there was something else there, something that was hard to place with Brian. Normally she would have said it was anger, and even fear, but it was unclear at the moment.

"Yeah, about that…" Chloe tried to say. They had reached a more or less abandoned part of the street, with several alleys closeby. People weren't around, only a few abandoned cars. Half of the street lights weren't even working, giving the street a gloomy and not very attractive orange glow. The girl's Mai instincts were already scanning the neighborhood for possible escape routes or places where she could best defend herself in case of an attack.  
><em>Alek and Jasmine can be proud!<em> She thought to herself.  
>Brian didn't give her the chance to complete her sentence.<br>He was slowly backing her up against a wall, decreasing her number of escape routes considerably. For whatever reason was going through her mind, she let herself get trapped between the man in front of her and the brick wall behind her.  
>What the hell was happening to him? Or better, what had happened since they last saw each other. Something was definitely off, this wasn't the Brian she had come to know? This certainly wasn't the Brian her heart skipped a beat for!<p>

"Look, I like you, Chloe. I like you very much. I know you said you only wanted to be friends and I've respected that, but if you're honest to yourself, you know that it's not true."

"Brian, don't go there. Don't do this now." She practically begged. If he was planning on doing anything to her, she'd swiftly get him to the ground, without second thoughts. But she'd give him the benefit of the doubt. Because she _knew_ him. She knew he was a decent guy who wouldn't pressure her.

"Chloe, look me in the eye, and tell me you only feel friendship." His eyes bore themselves into hers, taking her in. Chloe's back was against the wall, Brian's arms outstretched next to her head.

"I… Brian… just let me… we can't do this." She said, trying to keep her composure.  
>Slowly, Brian came even closer than he already was, his body touching hers.<p>

"Chloe, look at me and say that you don't like me."

"I. Don't. Like. You." She said, stressing every single word, trying to put as much conviction as possible in them. Brian simply looked at her and chuckled, shaking his head.

"Liar." Was the only word he said, before trying to kiss her. As fast as her cat-like reflexes allowed her, she turned her face so his lips only brushed her cheek.

"You idiot." Chloe said softly. She didn't want things to go this way, but if it did, she'd fight her way out. Brian or no Brian.

"Oi! What the hell is going on out here?" she heard a British voice call out. A sigh of relief escaped Chloe's body when she saw Alek coming towards her. But then again… what the hell was _he _doing here? Watch duty again?

"Nothing. Keep out of this." Brian said. His attention was averted, giving Chloe the opening she was looking for. Swift and too fast for human reflexes she fled from his grasp, to the safety that was Alek. Once she got close enough to her protector, she still held her ground. She showed everyone she could handle herself.

"Dude, are you stalking her? Because every time I see her, you're not far behind." He said to the blond Brit who only grinned his trademark grin. In this case, the smile on Alek's face had the same effect as a red cover in front of a raging bull!

"Chloe, make up your mind, for god's sake! Choose him, or me. You can't have both. Wait, that's your game, isn't it? Your trying to get both of us. You're not that nice little helpless girl you're pretending to be." Brian started scolding to the girl. Alek's heartbeat rose way too fast, as did his temper, but Chloe was faster.  
>Alek was still standing partially behind her, and when he made an attempt to stand in front of her, Chloe put her hand on top of his arm and she threw him a side way glance, warning him not to do anything..<p>

"Don't." she whispered.

"And you already have him whipped as well. Great man you are! Bet she does all the fighting for you too." he laughed. Chloe's grip on Alek's arm grew stronger as she saw his eyes transform into the cat-like slits distinctive for the Mai race. It was scary to see Alek like that, especially since he's usually solve problems with his wit and annoying sarcasm. If possible he'd avoid fights with people he knew were weaker than him, but at this moment she knew that if she let go, Brian might end up in a pile of broken bones on the ground.

"I can handle this." She said, too soft for Brian's human hearing to pick up on.

Chloe put a step back towards the human she had considered her friend.

"Listen, Brian. I thought we were friends." She said, tone serious, no humor whatsoever in her voice nor her eyes.

Another step. Eyes boring into his. For a second he thought he saw them change. Must have been the light.

"I always made it very clear that's all we are and all we can be."

"And yet you always come back to me, ready to hang out. You want to spend time with me, but you can't be with me?" he said.

"That's. What. Friends. Do." With every stressed word, she took another step into Brian's direction, and with every step, Brian took one back, as if he seemed to be taken aback by Chloe's sudden courage.

"And you're right about one thing. I'm definitely not helpless." The last few words might have come out as a growl. Not it was Brian who was backed against the wall of the alley, with nowhere to run.

"And if you're not careful, you will get to see how totally not helpless I am."

"I knew it!" Brian whispered so soft that Chloe could barely make the words out.

"Whoa, Chloe, I think that's enough… for now." Alek interfered, probably right in time, he thought.

"Believe me, helpless is one thing you shouldn't be calling her." The tone in his voice might have been mocking, but his eyes were dead serious, threatening even. At this moment in time, Brian tried to crawl into the wall, as far away as possible.

Alek smirked, and that was it for Brian. He lunged for the Brit, who was too fast for him.

"I think you missed." He mocked him, only making Brian even angrier.

The boys continued their quarrel, temporarily forgetting about Chloe. When things really started getting violent, she couldn't just keep standing there.

"Guys, cut it out!" she yelled. Brian threw one punch after another, but they all missed.

"Alek! STOP!" Chloe screamed, demanding her protector's attention. That was the moment Brian had been hoping for. Alek looked at Chloe, only for an instant, and Brian's right fist collided with Alek's cheek, making him stumble back a bit. The blonde was preparing to fight back this time, but Chloe was there faster. Without any hesitation, she jumped in between the fighting men.

"Idiots!" she said when neither of them moved.  
>But Brian still wasn't done. He saw another opening, and went for it. What no one had seen coming, was that Chloe was blocking him from Alek. Brian didn't have time to react, which resulted in him knocking Chloe over.<p>

"CHLOE!" Alek yelled. He ran to her side immediately, sliding down on his knees. At the moment, he couldn't care less about the baffled looking human standing there.

"Chloe, answer me, Chloe!" he repeated over and over, but the girl didn't react. A small stream of blood ran over her forehead.

"But… sh-she… I couldn't have been wrong…" he started muttering and stuttering when Chloe didn't move anymore.

"Get out of here. Now." Were the last words Alek spoke to Brian. He didn't scream or yell. He said them in such a threatening, soft voice, that Brian didn't think twice. He ran off without even looking back at the girl he supposedly had feelings for…

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><p><strong>There is a certain button at the bottom of this page (IN THE MIDDLE) that's asking for some lovin!<br>Reviews? Anyone? My offer of virtual cookies still stands!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Wowies! thank you to all of you who reviewed the last chapter! And thank you to everyone who keeps reading this! **  
><strong>Virutal cookies all around! <strong>

**I hope you'll love this one as well, I know I do... kinda... :p**

**Anyways, here you go. Enjoy and keep reviewing!**

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><p>CHAPTER 5<p>

"Chloe? Please wake up." Alek whispered, no, he begged.  
>A soft groan escaped the young girl's lips.<p>

"You're alive." Alek sighed in relief. With his sleeve he wiped off the trickle off blood that was forming on her face.

"of course. You need more to get me wiped out. About 8 times more, I should say." She murmured with her eyes still closed and her sense of humor intact. When she did try to open them, her head hurt. She tried sitting up, but after a few inches, the world started turning, eyes closed or not, everything was moving.

"Don't move. Just lay still." Alek removed his jacket and put it under Chloe's head after having checked if she had any broken bones.

"I'm fine, Alek. I don't need all this fuss. I only need to get home before I'm late for curfew again. Cause then my mom will kill me, and there's no protecting me from her." She said. Alek was glad her weird sense of humor was still intact.

"You need to be more careful. What the hell were you thinking, jumping in like that?" he asked now he was sure she'd be alright.

"I told you to butt out, and you didn't listen. The only way you wouldn't end up bashing his skull, was to interfere. And it worked, didn't it."  
>Alek was already preparing a gigantic speech of letting him do the fighting and she had to protect her remaining lives and blah blah blah.<p>

"Alek, just… can you give me a ride?" she asked, voice going faint again. He nodded.  
>He couldn't leave her there to get his car, so he gently swooped her up into his arms; one arm under her knees, the other one behind her back, supporting her.<p>

"Hold on tight." He said. Chloe's arms lay around his neck, keeping her close to him. Hundreds of different thoughts went through Chloe's mind, as if her head didn't hurt enough already.  
>Here she was, being carried by a man she called her protector. Her friend. He would have fought for her. He <em>did<em> fight for her. And now he was making sure she got home safely. And safe she was, close to the guy who'd risk it all, just for her.

Chloe slowly started dozing off, not able to keep her eyes open any longer.

"Oh no, not a chance! Chloe, you have to stay awake right now. You can't go to sleep. Stay with me." Alek quickened his pace, in a hurry to get her home.  
>He gently put her in the backseat of his care, his jacket covering her body.<br>He got in the driver's seat and rapidly dialed Valentina's number. She was away on business, but she'd still know what to do.  
>It only took him several minutes to get help through the phone, but when he put the machine down and focused on the road ahead, he knew how to take care of her.<p>

With screeching tyres – completely unintentionally – he stopped right in front of the King's residence.

_Crap… her mom's going to know something isn't right. Especially since Chloe might be unconscious. _Alek's mind was working on full speed. He tried to clear his mind for a second so he could try to find a heartbeat in the house, and when he didn't, he had proof Meredith wasn't at home.  
>as gentle as ever he lifted Chloe in his arms again, not even willing to let go any time soon.<br>He carried her through the door, up the stairs and in her room.

When he laid her on the bed, she woke up again.

"Where am I?" Chloe suddenly asked, voice hoarse. Alek could hear it caused her pain to talk.

"You're at home. I drove you back. Don't sleep yet, Chloe, I need to ask you some questions." All on Valentina's orders.

"I'm so tired." She managed to get out. Alek sat down by her side, taking her left hand in his right. With his free hand he brushed a strand of hair off of her face.

"It won't take long, I promise. And then you can sleep."  
>Alek asked her some basic questions, like her name and birthdate. The name of her mother, her address and the year they were in, just to make sure no real damage had been done.<p>

"Are you alright?" Chloe asked after her questioning. Alek looked at her with surprise written all over his face. There the girl was, barely conscious after being hit in the head by the pavement, asking if he, the guy who scarcely got hit was alright. That could only happen with Chloe King.

"I'm fine. Why are you asking."

"You look scared." She whispered, eyes drifting close again.

"I'm fine, really. You can sleep now. It'll do you good." He said with a smile on his still worried face. Apparently she was lucid enough to notice the distress he tried to hide from her. Too tired to help him right now, she made a mental note to talk to him about it tomorrow.  
>It took the young woman merely seconds before she slept again.<br>Her heartbeat was steady, so was her breathing. Alek went to the bathroom to get a wet washcloth to wipe the remaining blood off of her head.

When he got back, he sat next to her again. Scared to wake her up, he softly dabbed at the bloody stain on her head. The cut wasn't deep, but a head wound always bleeds a lot. That was something he remembered from the numerous times he had fallen on his head himself.  
>Chloe also had some scratches on her cheek and the palms of her hands.<br>Careful, as if she might break if he touched her, he cleaned those smaller wounds as well, making sure every piece of dirt was removed.  
>When he was ready, he draped a blanket over he so she wouldn't get cold. Then he walked downstairs.<p>

On the counter he found a note, hastily scribbled down by Meredith.  
>'<em>Chloe, I'm out on business. Will be back tomorrow evening. Behave! Love you, mom.'<em> It read.  
>The young Mai protector carried on through the glass doors leading to a small backyard. He simply stood on the lawn, looking at the stars as he had done with Chloe only a night ago. And yet, things were so different from 24 hours ago. Now she was hurt, again. And it had happened on his watch.<br>He'd be getting a lecture from Valentina, but that was nothing compared to what he could say to himself. How on earth did Chloe manage to get hurt when he was there to look after her?  
>If anything serious, more serious than this, would have happened to her, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. Ever.<p>

His mind wandered back to a conversation he had with Chloe, not that long ago.

"_you're a great friend, Alek. Thank you for that."_ She had said.  
>When he realized she was starting to get feelings for that stupid Human, his heart started showing cracks. When she said these words to him, the cracks grew bigger and bigger. And every time she gets hurt, a part of his heart shatters.<p>

When had it come to this? He'd always known she was something special, but ever since they learnt she was Mai too, something had shifted. They had gotten to know one another, they had grown close. But not close enough, and according to Chloe, that wouldn't be happening. She was still infatuated with _Him._

Alek shook his head and returned upstairs. Thinking about what to do next, he grabbed himself a chair and placed it right next to Chloe's bed. He rearranged her dark red covers so she wouldn't get cold, and sat himself down.  
>The young woman looked so peaceful and at ease. She looked completely different from that night on the roof. Seeing her there, with the band aid on her forehead, made him even more protective of her. He didn't want to see her get hurt, and he would do anything in his power to prevent it from happening again. Alek started focusing on her slow and steady breathing and the calm beating of her heart. It didn't take long before he started to doze off, but he was too stubborn to give in. He would stay awake all night if that meant keeping her safe.<p>

Eventually, his eyes couldn't take it anymore. _Closing them for a minute won't hurt. _He thought…

The night passed in silence. Alek hung passed out on a wooden chair, and that couldn't be really comfy. But for Chloe, he'd do it without a doubt.  
>The girl herself was sleeping, it was a restless sleep, with different dreams interfering with each other.<br>_First came Brian. Calm, nice and kind as ever. A rose in her hand. Brian's hand in her other.  
>'Wait a second, this is not how things should go' she thought. The rose, the thorns, cutting through her skin, making her bleed. Pain, all throughout her body. Brian's grasp on her hand, too strong, it hurt! <em>

_Suddenly, his face changed. Alek, with dark chocolate eyes. A smile, lighting up a world. The rose was gone, as was the pain. He held her hand, gently. The way he looked at her was different from everything she had seen. She couldn't read him.  
>'whoa, now what?' she couldn't keep track.<em>

_Without warning, she felt another too strong grasp on her free hand. Brian was there again, pulling her away from Alek._

"_Come with me, Chloe." Dream-Brian said with the kindest, sweetest of looks on his face._

"_Chloe, trust your instincts." Alek's voice said. The blonde Brit had a smile on his face. It was not a happy smile, but a very sad one. _

_Brian was gone, and Chloe experienced a gulf of relief. 'Why do I feel relieved? Didn't I like the guy?' she wondered. But Alek was gone too. And then, without any reaction, no warning whatsoever, she was falling. She fell, and fell into a great depth, waiting for an excruciating landing that wouldn't come.  
>Oh crap, there it was! She saw the ground coming closer and closer, way too fast!<em>

_In the back of her panicky mind she could only think of one thing._

_With all the air in her lungs she cried out one single word. _

_One single name…_

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><p><strong><em>Oah, cliffhanger, me gusta! =)<br>One question, awesomes: would you mind if I started writing from different POVs? or should I stick to this style of writing? help me out here! _**


	6. Chapter 6

**First and foremost I want to thank every one of you wonderful human beings and puppies for reading and reviewing this story!**  
><strong>Secondly I want to say that I might not be able to update in the next week, maybe week and a half due to the amazing re-sits I have to take. Thank you, college. I wish I cold go to Hogwarts instead.<strong>

**anyway, without further ado, I present to you the next chapter.**  
><strong>Enjoy! (and keep reviewing, definitely keep reviewing)<strong>

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><p><span>CHAPTER 6<span>

Chloe's eyes flew open with a shock, a gasp escaping her lips. Within half a second, she was wide awake, breathing heavily, panic overcoming her. And within that same half a second, Alek was by her side, his left hand holding hers, his right hand stroking her back.

"You were having a bad dream. Nothing can happen to you. I promise." He said soothing. The tones of his voice were already calming her, but when the reality of her nightmare hit her, she was starting to go into hyperventilation. Dreams like these, falling and crashing, she hadn't had those in years.

"Alek…" she gasped.

"Chloe, look at me. You are safe here. It's just you and me. Nothing can touch you here. Not as long as I'm with you." He said, trying to keep his voice even. The girl tried to listen, he felt it, but the look in her eyes betrayed what she was feeling, it was a look of pure fear, like a wounded animal, cornered and looking for a way out.

"Chloe, listen to my heartbeat. Focus on that. You can do this. Close your eyes and listen. There's nothing else, just you and me." The girl gave it her best. She sought out Alek's heartbeat, a sound she could recognize anywhere. It was calm, and it brought her back to reality. Her breathing slowed down, and she started becoming able to function again. She had never reacted all panicky like this. It was nothing like her to act like this…

"Thanks." She said, still breathing heavily.

"Don't mention it."

"It has been years since I've had a dream like this." Chloe started when she had regained her breath. Now she felt incredibly stupid for her panic attack. It was a dream, nothing more.  
>Alek looked at her, interested in what she had to say.<p>

"I-I was falling, and I kept falling. Until I finally saw the ground coming to me, and then I woke up." She told him. It seemed for the best not to tell him the other part.

"And the last time I had this dream was when my dad… after the last time I've seen him." Alek saw the pain in her eyes. There was something else as well, not only the pain for her father, but something new, something he hadn't seen yet…

"Painful events can trigger this kind of dreams."

"Thank you, mister encyclopedia." Grinned Chloe. There she was again. The joke seemed a bit forced, but it was the effort that counted.

"Shouldn't you be going home? I mean, what if my mom finds you here?" Chloe suddenly realized. Alek shook his head, grinning.

"You don't have to worry. She's out of town for the night and will be back tomorrow night. And as for me, I'm on Chloe-watch. But if you want, I can always move my awesome self to your very comfortable roof." His trademark smirk accompanied the remark and Chloe laughed.

"Would you mind staying here?" she asked in a small voice, sounding seemingly embarrassed for even suggesting such a thing.

"I wouldn't mind." Alek said immediately. He scooted the wooden chair closer to the bed and he took the girl's hand in his own, gently caressing her fingers.

"And don't you worry about those evil nightmares. I will personally go after them with a baseball bat." He said, trying to look threatening, and failing miserably after Chloe started laughing at him.

"Thank you." She repeated. She didn't take her hand out of his, feeling his skin against her made her feel safe, safer than she had felt during these last few days. Especially since what had happened tonight. The Mai savior surely felt safe with her protector close by.

Chloe moved slightly and suddenly, without any sign of warning, a surge of nausea hit her, and it hit her hard! As fast as humanly (and Mai-like) possible she made her way to the bathroom, ripping her hand out of Alek's. The protector skidded straight after her, by her side once more in mere seconds.

He gently touched his hand on her shoulder, pulling back her long blonde hair from her face and rubbing her back with his free hand.

"Just get it out." He said, voice soft.

"You don't have to do this." Chloe managed between hiccups, and saying so earned her a comprehensive smile from the Brit.

"I know that, but I can't leave you here on your own.  
>The nausea lasted a while. Chloe sat on the floor next to the toilet. Alek had taken a blanket from the bed and put it around the ill girl's shoulders, keeping her warm. The young man held her to him in between surges as he tried to lessen the shivers running wild through her body.<br>When she started feeling better, he handed her a washcloth and a glass of water. Then he guided her back to her bead, supporting her with one arm around her waist, while the other held her arm.

"Now that might have been slightly embarrassing and totally not cool." Chloe said with an apologetic smile on her pale face. Alek made sure she was lying comfortable before sitting down again on his chair.

"Don't worry about it," he said, smirk in place, "as long as you feel better, nothing else matters." The girl couldn't help but get these strange unfamiliar feelings in her stomach. For a second she thought she'd have to make another sprint for the bathroom, but that wasn't the case after all…

Alek took Chloe's hand back in his and with his long. His long slim fingers caressed the back of her hand, and she soon fell in a deep – dreamless – sleep.

The soft light of the waking sun was warming her face, the little particles of dust were tickling her nose. The sound of calm, gentle breathing got her attention. Cautious the girl opened one eye, soon followed by the other, trying to adjust to the bright light flowing into her room.  
>When she took in her surroundings and noticed she was simply in her own bedroom, she also noticed something that wasn't usually around. Not so close, at least. Right next to her bed, legs on the covers, sat Alek, his hand covering her own. He sat slouched on a wooden chair, head bent slightly to his right, towards the bed.<p>

His hand felt warm, and she tried not to move so he wouldn't wake. Chloe just stayed there, looking at her young protector.  
>He could've made himself a bit more comfortable on the roof, but no, here he was, making sure she'd be safe. After her last nightmare he held her hand and he hadn't let go again.<br>Honestly, Alek most definitely had a PhD in being a pain in the ass, but seeing him there made Chloe realize that he was also one of the most caring people she had ever met. She wouldn't know how she'd get through all this Mai-business without his help and support, and his… well, his just being there for her whenever she needs him.  
>And besides, he really did look kind of cute, sitting there, holding her hand. Cute and cuddly and really really handsome. <em>Wow… where did those thoughts come from?<em>

Something was definitely shifting inside her brain. She started regarding Alek with different eyes, seeing how he could be, not only the cocky bastard he appeared to be. That arrogant exterior seemed to be just a façade, a disguise to the world. Chloe had seen how caring and sweet he could be, and she hoped that he would show her that side of him more.

She turned her head to the clock on her night stand, realizing it was nearly noon. No wonder her stomach was making noises as if there was a T-Rex in it! As careful as possible, using all her Mai skills, she got up from the bed, leaving Alek and his gentle hand behind. She softly draped a blanket over him before going downstairs to prepare something to eat.

Her head was still throbbing from where she had had the encounter with the pavement, but the nausea hadn't returned. Yet. And for her own sake she hoped that it wouldn't return. Ever. She started rummaging in the kitchen when she heard a call coming from her bedroom, followed by some stumbling, a dull thud and an inappropriate curse.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me. I only choose to make them act this way. <strong>

**A/N: I've posted to Chalek one-shots on here as well, you might want to give them a try! ;) and maybe review 3**  
><strong>Because review are love and happiness and butterflies and rainbows and aaall that is right in the world.<strong>

**I'm going to shut up now!**


	7. Chapter 7

**And Here I am again! I have one of my re-sits tomorrow, but I still wanted to get this one online tonight. As a treat for the nice reviews.  
><strong>**I loved them! BUT… There is someone who I'd want to thank. You have given me the most amazing review I've ever gotten, and it means a lot to me! I'm not really all that confident about my writing, but you gave me a boost!**

**So thank you yayyme for you amazingly sweet review on this story! I hope you like this chapter as much!**

**as every time: none of this is mine, just toying a bit with the characters.**

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><p><span>CHAPTER 7<span>

"There you are!" Alek got out, breathing heavily. He had come down the stairs in a hurry, knocking over a flower pot on his way and limping as if he had walked into something.

"Where else would I be?" she asked, frying pan in hand.

"I don't know. Not here. And I don't like that thought." He ruffled through his hair with his hand while he checked the rooms for threats that weren't there.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't want to wake you. Although that chair must have been extremely uncomfortable." She stated, smiling a bit. Alek couldn't help but smile back at her. She was fine. Chloe was fine again. She wasn't in pain and she hadn't lost another life. His main concerns could return to the back of his mind until the Order decided to try and kill her. Again.

"I just thought, after last night… I guess I'm just a bit worried." He managed to get out, even avoiding looking at her directly, something he hadn't done since… well, since ever.

"And you're right. That chair was most uncomfortable. I think I can never walk straight again." Alek tried to lighten the mood but he was trying just a bit too hard. The blonde girl in front of him noticed he wasn't succeeding, though she stayed silent about it.

"Come on, sit down and have some breakfast." Chloe smiled genuinely. Her protector had taken care of her last night, the least she could do was make him a decent breakfast. Alek looked at her in awe.

"Hey, I should be making _you_ breakfast! You fell down yesterday, remember?" he countered.

"Uh… first, I didn't fall! I attacked the ground. And secondly, I owe you this. You took care of me when I was hurt and now I want to do something in return." She said, smiling the prettiest smile. Alek might have gotten just a tad bit weak in the knees, but he blamed the bad chair. Yes, definitely the bad chair.

"And besides," she continued, "It only breakfast, not rocket science."

"At least let me help you." He suggested. To this, the Mai girl agreed. Alek set the table while Chloe prepared breakfast. Or lunch. Brunch.

The pair of them was still enjoying their food when Chloe's phone rang.

"Hmm… Amy. I'm still baffled it took her this long to make known she wants her attention fix." Alek said with his cocky smile on his handsome face.  
><em>Wow… handsome? Really, Chloe? Really?<em>

"Hey, she's still my best friend!" the girl immediately replied.

"I know. But she can be… persistent. And her boyfriend isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed." Alek continued, not knowing he was actually hurting Chloe.

Chloe stayed silent, and instead of answering or defending her friends, she started cleaning the table without giving Alek a second look.  
><em>'45<em>_th__ look, actually. Damn, what's wrong with my head?'_ she thought inside the safety of her own mind.

She didn't look at him, and she didn't say anything. Basically, she was just ignoring the protector that was still eating a sandwich. It was only when some of his witty remarks didn't get the attention they were used to, that Alek started noticing something was off. '_That'll serve him right.'_ Was the only thing Chloe thought. It was about time Alek realized he couldn't keep insulting Amy and Paul.

"Chloe?" he asked surprised, but the girl didn't give him the time of day.  
>When the table had been emptied and the dishes had been put in the dishwasher, Alek finally got up from his comfortable stool.<p>

"Hey," he tried again, and once more he walked straight into the brick wall that was Chloe King at the moment.  
>The Brit reached for her arms, but Chloe darted just out of reach, holding up both hands as to make clear not to touch her, still not looking at him. Eventually, Alek couldn't take it anymore.<p>

"Please, Chloe, what did I do that make you act like this." He practically cried out. Now Chloe looked at him, and what Alek saw in her eyes, scared him a bit. She must have been looking really scary for Alek to get scared. Maybe she was taking this a tad bit too far? '_Nah, he deserves it. This has been going on for too long.'_ She thought.

"Chloe? You alright?" he asked cautiously. Chloe made way for the stairs when he sprinted in front of her, holding her hostage between himself and the wall.

"Alek. Let. Me. Go." She said, stressing each word. The moment gave her a disturbing sense of déjà-vu. Last night with Brian had happened in somewhat the same way.

"I will, if you talk to me."

"Let. Me. GO." She repeated, fear tangible all around her. Alek realized it as well, releasing her in an instant. '_Fieuw, crisis averted.'_ She thought now. Chloe was surprised by her own fierce reaction. Never before had it bothered her like this to be standing close to somebody. And never had she radiated fear like she had done just now.

"And don't insult my friends. Ever again!" the words were powerful, but the look in her eyes didn't just show anger towards Alek, there was the fear for what just had happened. Or hadn't happened. But Chloe wasn't one to get scared easily. There must have been something else as well.

Now the young woman had the chance, she ran to her room, slamming the door in a way that her mother would refer to as 'childish' and 'immature'. She couldn't agree more.

"Alek slowly went after her, giving her a bit of time to recover. Once in front of her closed door, he breathed deeply. His heart rate might have been a bit faster than normal, and he was damn sure Chloe had noticed that as well.  
>"<em>damn you, cat hearing!<em>" he thought to himself.

"Chloe, I'm really really sorry for the way I behaved. I shouldn't have said the things I did and I won't say them ever again." He rolled his eyes while speaking.

"Don't roll your eyes like that. I know you're doing that." _How on earth could she know that? _He wondered, throwing his arms in the air in annoyance.

"And stop waving your arms like a mad chicken." She said now. Alek could bang his head to the wall. '_had she suddenly become psychic as well?'_ he wondered.

"Don't worry, I just know you too well." She said through the door, sighing loudly. The girl had calmed down again. The fear had drawn away, as had the anger she had felt earlier. Talking about heightened emotions…

"I'm sorry. But honestly, Chloe, I won't talk about your friends like that again." He assured her. The door opened a crack.

"And you're not joking now?" she asked, still not believing him.

"I give you my word." The tall blonde answered her, smirk again in place. The door opened wider.

"Alright then. I believe you." There was no sign whatsoever that she was still angry over what he had said earlier. It was almost like it had never happened at all. Chloe made a mental note to never ever get scared like that again. Or at least, to not show it. Fear was a weakness some people shouldn't get to see. Or so she thought.

"Thank you. That's a huge relief. You know you were kind of scaring me earlier on."

"Well, you had it coming. And besides, was I really that scary?" She winked, letting him in while tying her hair in a loose pony tail.  
>Her hair was shining in the glistening light on the sun and her hair was lighting up the room. Or so thought Alek when he nodded.<p>

"Speaking of my awesome friends, they're coming over. So you better head out."

"You're kicking me out?" was all he said. Chloe was all smiles and darting curls and happiness. Alek started laughing at the sight of her face. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever encountered. He sat on her bed while she was brushing her teeth. Even with half of her face covered in toothpaste she looked adorable.  
>'<em>Keep your head straight, Petrov!'<em> he scolded himself. Sure, the feelings had been there for some time now, but they had never been as strong as the night before. Seeing her hurt like that made him question everything he believed in, it made him question his own abilities to protect her. For a moment he feared he had failed. He couldn't lose her, and he couldn't be the one responsible for her losing another life.  
>He tried to shake the dark thoughts out of his head. She hadn't lost a life, and he hadn't lost her. Yet.<br>Still, it was impossible to see that she had been attacked only the night before. The only clue giving that away was the gash on her forehead.

"You might want to cover that up. If not for your friends, than at least for your mother." He said pointing at his own forehead. She looked in the mirror and her eyes grew big.

"Man, I really hit the pavement hard." She gently pressed the bruise and winced at the touch of her own fingers.

"Here, let me." Alek suggested. He jumped off of the bed and walked over to the girl.  
>With the softest touch he skimmed his fingertips over the healing wound, sending shivers through her body.<br>_'Damn, he's standing really close. He smells nice. Wow… that hit must have really messed with my mind.'  
><em>Chloe was starting to think her mind was leading its own life. She looked up at Alek, who was all seriousness right then. Ever so careful he took a strand of her hair and placed it a bit more over her forehead.

"There, now your mom won't notice. Amy might, though. Things like this don't get past her easily. Besides, I'm sure you're just going to tell her anyway."  
>Chloe couldn't suppress a smile. Of course she was going to tell Amy. There weren't secrets between them, and this wouldn't become the first thing she wouldn't tell her best friend on the planet.<p>

"Don't worry. I just know you too well." Alek winked before leaving through the window.  
>He could have just taken the front door, Chloe mused while changing her crumpled clothes.<br>But then again, old habits die hard…

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><p><strong>AN: I'm being stalked by the most annoying plotbunnies I've ever seen in my life! And the writer's block I'm developing has grown to the size of Jupiter. But don't worry, I still have a few chapters that are finished, and I hope that the Block will resolve in the next few days. **

**Let me know what you like about the story, if you have any ideas... all help is more than welcome!**

**I'm out!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: thank you all for the lovely reviews! Keep on doing that, and keep reading. Steadily we are going to reach some points we all want to reach. So please bear with me a few more chapters, I promise you, you WILL get some nice Chalek moments (not yet in this one, maybe not the next, but it's coming)**

**anyway, I hope you like it. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own TNLOCK or any of its characters. If I did, I'd host a private party with all of them, but Brian wouldn't be invited.**

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><p><span>CHAPTER 8<span>

"Chloe! Earth to Chloe!" Amy said, waving a hand in front of the blonde's face. Chloe rapidly shook her head and blinked her eyes.

"I'm sorry, you guys. I think I was dreaming." She smiled apologetically. It was true, ever since her friends got there, she wasn't able to focus on whatever conversation they were having. It was as if she had the concentration of a spoon right about then.

"Dreaming? About a certain boy?" Amy asked suggestively.

"What? Me? No!" but Amy didn't believe her best friend. The two had known each other for years, and they were able to tell when one was lying.

"Yeah, and I'm a penguin." The brunette giggled. Chloe just looked at her, head tilted.

"I always thought you had this funny walk." She stated, earning a shocked and surprised look from Amy, and a giggle fit from Paul.

"Tss, you're going to spill the beans anyway." She said as she flipped through the pages of a magazine.

Chloe was happy her two best friends were here again. Her headache had seized, and the wound on her head had started to heal. By tonight, no one would ever know she had been attacked. By the floor._  
>'Technically, she was attacked by Brian.'<em> Her mind was telling her, but she still couldn't believe it. Brian wasn't that kind of guy. He just wasn't!_  
><em>Sometimes her own mind makes her want to go crazy. She got up from her seat to go to the kitchen for more drinks when she had to bend over to pick up a fallen paper.

"Oh my god, Chloe! What happened to your head?" Amy cried out. As fast as possible she got back up again, and that happened a tad bit too fast. The world was swirling again. Not good!

"What? Oh, that. It's nothing, really." she tried, but the young Mai could've saved herself the trouble. She was sure Amy wasn't going to drop the subject until she found out everything.  
>Paul came standing next to Chloe. He brushed the hair out of her face, revealing the band aid Alek had put on her face earlier.<p>

"Dude, what the hell did you do? Did you get in a massive fight? Did you have to knock out a huge giant-sized man?" he asked, clearly shocked and highly interested.

"It's nothing, I told you. I just… fell."

"You fell. So, you're the savior of the Mai race, you have nine lives. And you fell. No, I'm not buying it." When Paul put it that way… She sighed and prepared herself to tell the story.

"Chloe, you could have a concussion? Do you have a concussion?" Amy suddenly stated, sounding very panicky.

"No, I don't. I mean, I had to throw up once, but I think my Mai healing kicked in by then. So, no concussion. Don't worry guys, my brain is still intact." Chloe laughed.

"Yeah well, for as far as you _have_ a brain." Amy whispered now and Paul snorted.

"Forget what I just said. Start talking, woman, and don't skip any details!" the brunette will was law, so Chloe started talking.

"Well, I was out with Brian…"

"I told you there was a guy involved!" Amy interrupted her.

"Not like that, we are _friends!"_She added before continuing. When she was done, both her friends were perplexed, just as she had been the night before, and now still. Chloe couldn't believe Brian had knocked her to the ground, and she couldn't believe how sweet Alek was.

"Wow… I really didn't take Brian for the kind of guy to just smack a girl to the ground." Paul muttered, pulling Amy closer to him.  
><em><br>"_Neither did I," Amy said, nuzzling closer to her boyfriend and leaving Chloe only the slightest bit uncomfortable. Sure, they had been dating for a while now, and they were her two best friends, so she was used to the cuddly stuff. Still, at the moment it was a bit awkward.  
>"But that's not the only thing that's bothering you, is it?" she asked her friend bluntly. The blonde only looked at her as a confused puppy. No, a confused kitten.<p>

"Paul… why don't you go read that book on Mai history Jasmine brought Chloe the other day? The one she forbid you to even touch?" Amy suggested. Paul's eyes lit up, and before Chloe could say anything, he made his way to her room to fetch the 'Forbidden Mai Book'. He sat down on the couch and began reading without giving the girls another look.

"There, that's been taken care of as well. Now shoot. I want details, and they'd better be good." She grinned. Knowing full well she wouldn't get out of here alive if she didn't tell her everything that was going on, Chloe started talking.  
>She talked about how Brian had changed over the last couple of days. How he transformed from the sweetest guy on the planet, the one who'd do practically anything to make her happy, to this jerk who couldn't take 'no' for an answer. And she told about Alek, who had taken such great care of her last night. Alek who brought her home, who would've snapped Brian's neck if she had lost another life.<br>And she spilt the beans on how confused she was. Man, things had really become complicated.

"Amy? Would you please say something? Anything would do." The Mai said after she had finished her story and hadn't had a response from her friend for minutes.

"Well… I don't know what to say. I mean, things really _are_ complicated right now, aren't they." She finally said.

"Well, yeah. I had figured out that much." Chloe stated, smiling sadly.

"I really don't know what to do anymore. Or to think, or even to feel. It's such a mess right now, Amy." Chloe put her head in her hands, fully at loss.

"Well… let me put it this way: do you have feelings for Brian?" Amy asked. Chloe looked at her best friend in awe.

"Yes. At least, I think I do."

"Do you get all happy and jittery and just crazy when you're with him?"

"I used to. When we'd hang out together, it would always make my day. Just knowing I got to spend time with him made me smile, and it made me forget all the bad things in my life, if only for a while." Chloe explained, leaving Amy with her mouth hanging open.

"Wow… I didn't even realized you felt that strongly about him!"

"I think.. neither did I…" Chloe said, looking at her other friend who had his nose buried in the book he wasn't even meant to read.

"But what about Alek?" Amy asked now, pointing out that mister Brian wasn't the only problem she had to deal with. Amy remembered when Alek had talked to her about his feelings. No, that time when she practically dragged his feelings out of him. And she recalled that she told him she was rooting for him as well…

"I don't know, Amy. I really don't anymore. I mean, he was incredibly sweet last night, and he really took care of me when I was hurt. And it was just – the things he said – it was like I was seeing an entirely different Alek than the one I'm used to see. He wasn't arrogant or smug, he was sincerely worried, and even scared, I could see it in his eyes." Chloe hit her head against the counter, as to hit some sense into it, momentarily forgetting she was still healing.

"Auwch… I probably shouldn't have done that." She murmured against the marble.

"Aww, I'm so sorry, sweety… But you really have to make a pick… you've got two puppies running after you. Well, one puppy and a cat-like person." She stated. Chloe's eyes grew large after hearing her friend's words.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked immediately. Amy realized her mistake only a second too late. In her mind she was contemplating every possibility to get herself and Alek out of this situation she had just created.

"Uh, well… I mean, Brian is clearly into you, even a blind man could see that," she started, stalling and creating more time for her to think, "and Alek is kind of protective of you. Everyone knows he's not a huge fan of Brian. He does tend to keep an eye on you at all times." There, she hoped that'd do the trick.

"If you put it like that… yeah, you might be right. He _is _close by all the time." Chloe said, thinking about the words of her friend.

"All the time? You mean even now?" Amy was started to get a bit twitchy, wondering if Alek had been able to listen in on their conversation, because if that was the case, she might as well jump off a bridge for nearly being a tattle tale..

"No, he's catching up on some sleep. I think he sent a guy named Fred over here for tonight. And Fred isn't allowed to listen in, or Fred will get himself in a somewhat precarious situation…" Chloe said loud enough. _If_ Fred was indeed listening in, which Chloe desperately hoped he wasn't, he would have been warned NOT to tell anything.

"Great. That's great. But now you're still stuck with that minor problem of yours. Oh, I still remember the time when you were complaining that there was not a single cute guy who'd pay attention to you. And now you have two… or at least one and a half… It's ironic, really."

"No it's not. Brian can't handle his feelings for me. Alek and I are only friends."

"Aha, but do you want to be only friends with Alek?" Amy asked now, pointing a finger at her best friend. Chloe thought about it. Was being friends what she wanted? Didn't she have the butterflies for Brian?  
>Chloe's gaze drifted away from Amy, and to Paul, who was still sitting on the couch. The goofy grin on his face was still there. He was as happy with the book as a little kid with a lollipop. Amy knew exactly what made him smile. They were so happy together. Chloe sighed.<p>

"I don't know…" was all she managed.

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